Printed circuit boards have become ubiquitous in electronic devices for providing a compact and reliable base for electronic components. Printed circuit boards are generally formed of a rigid dielectric layer having a plurality of holes for receiving leads of electronic components, and on one side of the dielectric layer, a predetermined pattern of an electrical conductor (typically copper) for being soldered to the leads and conduct current as desired. It is also known to provide printed circuits which have a flexible dielectric layer, known a flexible printed circuit.
In order to function as a part of an electrical circuit of a device, printed circuit boards and flexible printed circuits must often be electrically connected together. Typically, this is accomplished via electrical connectors.
It is known to provide electrical connection between printed circuit boards and flexible printed circuits using mutual abutment of electrically conductive raised dots and pads. While the mutual touching of raised dots and pads provides an excellent alternative to electrical connectors, there remains in the art the problem of mechanically connecting the printed circuit board and the flexible printed circuit so as to ensure an electrical connection, wherein the raised dots and pads remain in good electrical contact, without requiring excessive force to effect the mechanical connection. This is important, in that the application of force to ensure proper mechanical seating of the printed circuit board with respect to the flexible printed circuit can result in damage to one or both.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a system to provide connection of a printed circuit board to a flexible printed circuit with little or no force being required to effect electrical contact between the raised dots and pads thereof.